‘Hot trucks’ cited for spoiled food; products were headed to area restaurants

‘Hot trucks’ cited for spoiled food; products were headed to area restaurants

MOORESVILLE – Indiana State Police and Mooresville Police are investigating after finding two hot trucks that were carrying foods at dangerously high temperatures.

Police received a tip of a semi from Chicago and a box truck from Louisville unloading food at a parking lot on State Road 67 and Bridge Road in Morresville at around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Morgan County Health Department officials arrived at the scene to find 150 pounds of spoiled food–milk, cheese, and other dairy products at temperatures of 70 degrees, nearly 30 degrees above the legal limit.

“I understand this food is not good, and not good for the people,” said Mario Morena, the semi driver. “I don’t [look at] the temperatures when I pick it up.”

Investigators said the semi’s refrigerating unit may not have been able to keep up with the heat. The box truck did not have a working one. The food was also stacked too high and close to other perishables.

“We took off a bag of onions off the truck that was lying in blood. That’s a health hazard too,” said Trooper Dan Hearon of Indiana State Police. “It was already spoiled before they made the handoff from one truck to the other.”

Police said the truck drivers were delivering to at least 10 restaurants in Morgan, Johnson and Marion counties. They had dropped off a round at El Rodeo in Mooresville earlier. The manager tells Fox 59 the distribution company supplies only dry products to their restaurant.

“They’re trying to get the most bang for their buck as far as the amount of product they want to transport per road mile,” said Trooper Thomas Burgett of Indiana State Police.

Some are concerned about what’s being served on their plate.

“A lot of people go to a majority of these places and eat, so you worry that a majority of them are going to get sick,” said Andrew Ellsworth of Mooresville.